


i left my baby teeth in your drawer

by aqakita



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: AU, F/F, but i still wrote this, cannot believe i even wrote this, i dont like sharon/aquaria as a ship, tw age gap, tw alcohol, tw cheating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-26 21:36:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15009938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aqakita/pseuds/aqakita
Summary: Aquaria meets a woman at the bar who seems willing to give things a try.





	i left my baby teeth in your drawer

Lights flashed blindingly through the club. The thump of the bass shook the stage, slippery with spilled drinks and the poor floor tile choice. Aquaria’s palms grabbed the cold of the pole as she pulled her body up, head spinning but still encouraged by the roaring crowd, and the sight of dollar bills tossed up onto the platform. She was reeling when she leaned back, upside down, held up only by her shaking thighs. Someone in the crowd caught her eye, and as she pulled herself back up, she decided to take the risk of performing like she was performing for just them.

It tended to be a risk worth taking - bigger tips from the target, and jealousy tips from some of the others near the front. She strode away from the pole and wandered the edge of the stage, looking up and down, pointing to people, stroking hands, blowing kisses. She was feeling faint but she had to keep going. Her set was nearly over anyway, and it was just the growing dehydration, and the vibrations from the blasting music that made her nauseous. One more song was signed to her from a stagehand in the corner of her eye, and she’d never felt more relieved.

Her hands swiped the dollar bills from their loose grips, and as the music changed to the final song, she sauntered toward the metal rod again. She stuffed some of the notes into her underwear, as if to show off her worth. It seemed like they were living for it, but when she considered it further, she could’ve stuffed lettuce in her waistband and got the same raucous response. The person in the crowd was leaning forward on the stage, propped up by her elbow, watching her with a smirk across her face. Between her fingers was clearly more than one dollar bill, and so as she danced across the stage, Aquaria swiped it out of her hand.

Two twenty dollar bills. That surprised her, and as a thank you, she blew a kiss, before rubbing the notes over the black of her bra, down her stomach, and between her thighs, feigning a gasp of pleasure before striding away. She could see a man’s hand reaching for her heel, so she needed to get away from the edge before she was yanked off stage. It had happened once, and though security were prompt, it was still terrifying. Grinding her body against the pole, wrapping her legs around it and climbing up, she considered that a big finale might be wanted. A taildrop to splits sounded good enough as a final move, and it got as best a reaction as she could hope for.  When the music fizzled out, she was quick to scurry off stage as another girl took her place.

By the bar, she noticed someone coming up to her. It was the same woman from the crowd, who’d given her the forty dollars. She was tall, taller still with the black heels she wore, and a fair bit older than Aquaria. She had a shock of long, wavy bleached hair, contrasted by the grenadine red of her lips. Her blue eyes betrayed a sense of intrigue, but it seemed as though she wasn’t trying to mask it. With the offer of a drink from the blonde, Aquaria settled with a Jack and Coke, which she watched the bartender make. She kept it close to her. The woman didn’t seem the shady type, but then again, no one who gets away with spiking drinks does.

“You’re a good dancer, especially for someone so young.”   
“Thanks, though I’m not all that. I learned quickly.” She took a sip of her drink. As if caffeine and whiskey would do her thirst any good, but the mild burn in her throat felt nice.   
“You even of age?”  
“What are you, a cop?” She sneered, taking another sip, “Yes. I’m 22. They hired me here, I have to be an adult.”   
“What do your parents think of their stripper daughter?” It was a sneered comment, chased with necking her glass of Smirnoff Gold.   
“They didn’t think much of me before then. They just avoid me in the house now.”

Her finger ran the rim of her glass, watching as the woman pushed her own across the bar, towards the bartender, waiting for him to refill it.   
“So, who even are you?” Perhaps she was coming off curt, but the stranger had gave her a fair tip, and was buying her drinks. It was hardly like she wasn’t entitled to know more about her.   
“Sharon,” She offered a hand, “You?”  
“Aquaria.” Shaking hands with her, she was surprised at the strength of her grip, “Do you come here a lot?”  
“Yeah, but I’ve never bothered to wait by the stage. I didn’t see the point really, but you looked cute, so I thought you deserved a decent tip, at very least.”   
“I know.” A smirk hit her lips, and she took another sip, before deciding to finish the rest of it off in one. She accepted the offer of another.

Her head was fuzzy again an hour in to her time with the blonde, having been generously gifted with drinks. Like an idiot, feeling an odd need to impress, Aquaria was getting through them fast, particularly if Sharon had just finished one of her own. Aware that the girl was certainly overstepping tipsy into drunk, when she asked for another, Sharon only let her have a coke. She didn’t want to be the reason someone so young was having their stomach pumped, or worse, just to keep them around. When a hand grabbed her wrist, she flinched a little, slightly spaced out from the spirits she’d had.

“I don’t wanna go back home tonight. Wanna take me back to yours?”   
As if she could have made a grander request. That wasn’t an accurate description, it was more like an entitled offer, but Sharon couldn’t help but feel compelled. If anything, she’d be doing her a favour.  
“Alright, sure.” As she slipped down from the barstool, she offered an arm, helping Aquaria get steady on her feet. Whiskey wasted, and slippery heels were hardly a good combination. The younger woman clung to her side, hands gripping onto her upper arm and digging her nails in quite painfully.

While they stood in the street, remaining beneath a streetlight, Sharon felt the girl nuzzle up into her neck. Younger girls weren’t something she’d shied away from, but Aquaria was young. She’d barely passed into being old enough to drink, and a small part of her felt like she was taking advantage. Hailing a taxi, she ushered the girl inside with little complaint, giving her address. As the cab set off, Aquaria pressed herself into her side, a palm on her thigh, partially to ground herself, and partially to flirt. Sharon snaked an arm around her waist, holding her close and kneading the exposed skin. The girl hadn’t had a chance to change from work, and she realized now that she’d have left her clothes there.

They weren’t going back though; if worst came to worst, Sharon would just give her something to wear in the morning. It may be a little big on her, but it was better than being in nothing but glorified underwear. The lips grazing her neck made her shudder, snapping her out of her absence of mind. Her breath caught briefly in her chest, gulping back against the sting of her throat as she tipped her head against the seat. When teeth caught the skin, she sunk her nails into Aquaria’s side, intended as a scold though it seemed to just encourage her. As the ride lurched to a holt, the blonde paid hurriedly before seizing the girl’s wrist, tugging her out and keeping her steady once her feet were on the concrete.

To Aquaria, the world was spinning. In spite of the general dark of the night, the streetlights were almost blindingly bright, and the full moon was bleeding into the blue-black of the sky. Shielding herself from it, she hid her head against Sharon’s shoulder, moving with her into the building. This was her first time doing anything like this. She’d never come home with a stranger, let alone a stranger who’d watched her dancing at the bar. It seemed like this would probably be classed as unprofessionalism, but she was off the clock, and she didn’t really care about that anyway.

Once the door was closed and locked, there was no hesitation in moving up the stairs, though Aquaria stumbled up the steps like Bambi. The house was quite nice, and the bedroom was even nicer. She’d never seen a king size bed before, and until she was pushed down onto it, she’d never been on a memory foam mattress. This was certainly a night of firsts for the girl. Her back arched into the soft fabric of the sheets, and she lazily kicked her heels off, letting them fall wherever. Sharon seemed to do a similar thing, before moving to be over her.

Aquaria’s arms looped loosely around her neck, pulling her closer and roughly connecting their lips. She shuddered as Sharon’s hand worked its way up over her side, thumb pressing hard in to the soft skin over her ribs. As teeth caught in the flesh of her lip, she dug her nails into her waist, to be met with the roughness of a skin splitting bite. Aquaria’s tongue lapped at the blood, the bitter copper taste sending shivers down her spine. Breaking the connection, the blonde dipped her head into her neck, lips brushing the heated skin and staining the porcelain with streaks of red.

Those blood stained kisses lavished on her neck were the last part of the night she could remember clearly. The rancid odor of alcohol scented sweat caught her nose as soon as she roused from sleep, and the unfamiliar covers felt smothering to her tiny body. When her eyes opened to survey the room, she had to squeeze them shut almost instantly, the agony of a hangover perpetuated by the sunlight let in by the open curtain. Something moved beside her, which she assumed was Sharon, though she was relying on blind hope. Shuffling back beneath the blankets, into the dark, she looked out through half lidded eyes.

Thank God, it was just Sharon - the matted blonde hair and arm tattoo were enough to confirm that. With that settled, she closed her eyes again, contemplating moving closer. Maybe she was overthinking things now, but she didn’t know if that would be a weird thing to do. This was a one night thing, but this was the first time Aquaria had done anything of the sort. Perhaps she was supposed to just up and leave - this wasn’t her house, after all. But, when she moved to try and sit up, her head was spinning so badly that she sunk down again fast. She was now relying on Sharon waking up and directing the scene, hoping that she would wake up as the nice woman who tipped her generously the night before.

When the woman finally stirred, Aquaria was almost dozing off again. A hand gently brushed her cheek, and she looked up towards her, before wincing a little.   
“First hangover, baby?”   
“No.” Her voice came out crackled as she rolled onto her side, burying her face into the pillow, “Worst hangover.”   
“And I thought I cut you off in time to stop you feeling so rough.” There was something snide about the way she said it, “I’m going to make breakfast, I’ll put something out for you if you want?”  
“Please.”

Once she was alone in the room, Aquaria moved with the blanket over her, shielding her from the light as she wandered over to the open window, struggling to keep up on her feet. Shutting the curtains, she moved back to the bed, flopping back onto the sheets. Her whole body felt disgusting, stomach queasy and rumbling from hunger, and her muscles aching. Propped up against the headboard, leaning into the pillows and bunched up quilt, she glanced down the ruined skin from her collar down to her knees. Bruised and bitten, between her thighs throbbing and sore. The undersheet of the bed was speckled with blood. Losing your virginity to a one night stand in a club wasn’t that uncommon, but she hoped that when she did, it would have meant something. At very least, she hoped she’d remember it.

The scent of food was wafting up the stairs, and the growling of her stomach kicked off again. Shuffling onto the edge of the bed, she moved to pick up her clothes, to realise she’d come back here in her dancing outfit. Her day clothes were still at the club. Part of her considered taking something of Sharon’s to wear, but she felt it wasn’t her place. Her work clothes would have to do, and she’d just have to hope for the generosity of an offer once she’d been downstairs.

As she made her way through the living room, she could hear Sharon speaking to someone, and she bristled slightly at the sound. If someone else was here, she’d be mortified to be caught dressed like this. However, when she listened in a little more, she could hear that it was a phone call. Lingering by the couch, so she didn’t seem as much like she was obviously eavesdropping, it sounded like the kind of call you’d have with a partner. Aquaria felt an immediate sense of guilt - if Sharon was in a relationship, she was now an accessory to her cheating. Or rather, she was the accessory.

Aquaria wandered through to the kitchen, and was reassured when Sharon didn’t seem to waver with concern, bidding farewell to the caller. With a warm smile, she pushed a plate over towards her - beans on toast - and put a coffee by it. Maybe she was being nice, or maybe she was just reviving her through her stomach so she could get her out quicker. Either way, Aquaria was grateful to be fed. Shivering in the seat, the kitchen much colder than the bedroom, where she had a blanket, she glanced up at the blonde expectantly. She had no idea what to say herself.

“I’ve got some old clothes you can wear back, if you want. I don’t think it’d be in your best interest to go out dressed like that.”   
“Thanks.” Taking a sip of her drink, she found herself a little concerned, the state of her body not ideal for appearing on stage, even if the lights were bleak.   
“Are you working tonight?”   
“Yeah, but I might call in sick. I’m not working two days after today, so maybe the bruising’ll be gone.”   
“You’re optimistic,” She was wearing a slight smirk, “But it might have faded enough to cover up by then.”

After eating, she was given some clothes and was ready to leave, though a part of her felt hesitant. While she couldn’t really remember much of their night, she enjoyed the morning when the hangover had started to subside, and Sharon was good company. She was offered a lift back home, and took it, having no idea where they actually were. Even as she got into the car, she didn’t recognise the area. Thank God she went home with someone nice, who’d just left bruises through love that she assumed she’d enjoyed. The drive to her house was quite calm, with them only talking a little bit, mentioning seeing each other again in the club.

As they pulled up by her house, she went to grab for her phone, before realizing the misfortune of leaving it behind with the rest of her things, in the dressing room at work.   
“I know my number, if you want it.”   
Sharon considered for a moment, before nodding, “Sure.”  
She reeled it off, and read it back when it was shown to her, “Yeah, that’s right. Sorry if I don’t answer for a few days.”   
“Something to look forward to, I guess.”   
Getting out of the car, she waved her off, before facing the music of being out all night.

-

Aquaria’s relationship with her parents was rocky, but it was something she was adjusted to now. Her mother actively sought distance between them, as though afraid of her daughter. Two things did that - coming out, and working as a ‘stripper’. That wasn’t her profession, she was technically a pole dancer. Not the same thing, though where she was working, same purpose. Despite sharing a living space, she and her father didn’t really speak much, except when she walked in the house today, in a stranger’s clothes, with bites on her neck. He roared obscenities her way, scolding her and accusing her of whoring.

That wasn’t the right time to be considering if she did whore herself out for $40 and a few drinks, but she felt suddenly that his nastiness was a bit deserved. He didn’t know what her night had been, he was just taking the very obvious, then making it more extreme. When he finished his tirade, she looked up at him, apologizing only for being out late, and telling him she left her phone at work, and that she wasn’t working for three days. Rolling his eyes, he stormed into the kitchen, and she made her way upstairs. If she was lucky, Sharon would have an iPhone, and she could use the iMessage on her laptop to answer.

Part of her wished that she could have stayed with her a little longer. Her house wasn’t a home, and she just wanted to leave. She hoped to save up enough to move out, but the board she was paying here was extortionate, and so saving was taking its sweet time. Even after making a point that she was trying to find her own place, the money only went up a week later, and she gave up on begging with her father. Flopping down onto the bed, she reveled in the scent that lingered on the clothes, only so noticeable now they’d been taken out of their usual habitat.

That was all she had of Sharon for two days - the lingering scent on the clothes, and the bruises staining her skin. She’d checked her iMessage on the laptop near obsessively, and no messages had come through. Perhaps she just wasn’t interested, and it had just been a one night thing, and they wouldn’t see each other again. So, when the message notification finally came up, Aquaria was more than a little excited.   
_S: hi, its sharon. sorry i didnt text sooner, something came up. did you get that night off? x_  
A: yeah, but havent been back yet, talking off laptop for now, did you miss me? :p x  
S: a little bit x

Aquaria could feel her heart racing, tapping her nails on the keyboard as she desperately sought a clever reaction that just wouldn’t come. She didn’t expect herself to be hung up so much over one night, but something in her felt weak. Sharon appealed to her so intensely, though the night was fragmented in her memory, existing only in snapshots of the best parts. In that sense, her perception of the woman was slightly obscured, but that didn’t stop the fluttering feeling in her stomach when another message came  through.   
_S: ive got nothing to do today, you want me to come pick you up? x  
A: please, get me out of here!! but message when youre outside, i dont really want my parents seeing x_

Scurrying to get dressed, putting on something better than the borrowed clothes she’d been reluctant to part with, she donned herself in her best ‘comfy cute’ apparel (leggings and an oversized hoodie). Brushing her hair through, she tied it up loosely into a bun, going to wash her face and do at least a quick makeup look. She would have put in more effort, but she wanted out quick, and she seen while she was dressing a message telling her she was on her way. When she’d stuffed a few essentials into a bag, she waited by the window, laptop turned so she could see the message, even though she would be able to see the car when she pulled up.

She thought she’d be waiting a while, it took about half an hour to get to her house the first time, but Sharon showed in 10 minutes, and from the opposite direction. At first, she considered that she misremembered the route, or the car, but sure enough, she got a message confirming that it was Sharon waiting outside. Making her way downstairs, yowling a ‘goodbye’ to the inhabitants as she walked out, she headed into the car, buckling up.   
“You got here quick,” She wanted to get this in early, before she could start overthinking the reason for it.  
“I had to drop a friend off,” An amiable smile crossed her features, as she started driving toward the house.

It didn’t take long for Aquaria to settle in again once they were back in the woman’s house. It felt good to be in here, feeling well and not worried about when she’d have to leave. Sharon gathered drinks from the kitchen, and brought them through. The house looked no different to when she was last here, though she was hardly looking for changes. Staring at the fruit bowl on the table, she picked an apple up, to have it pushed back down into it’s display.  
“They’re not real, don’t try and eat it.”  
“I wasn’t gonna, I was just looking at it. Why, did someone try to eat them before? Without checking?”  
“Yeah, unfortunately. Spat styrofoam all over my nice rug. She cleaned it up though.”

Most of their talk was the typical getting to know each other thing. Talking about their jobs, she found out Sharon was currently working as a manager somewhere that Aquaria didn’t know. She’d been there for several years, and the pay was something good, so she was more than happy to stay around. She also mentioned occasionally working late, as she was someone often asked to stand behind as she always ‘got the job done’. They were in a busy period at work, and she mused that she was lucky that she wasn’t called in today. Aquaria joked that she was never asked to do extra nights, and that maybe she was a bad dancer. Sharon was quick to rebut the fact, complimenting what she saw the other night.

Things were going really well between the pair of them, and Aquaria considered that maybe they could make something of it. It was too premature to expect a relationship, but she’d appreciate being called around more, to do things like this, as opposed to just getting fucked and nothing else. Sharon was a good host, though she mentioned not having much food in, and offered to take her out for dinner. Having had to be thrifty in order to try and move out, Aquaria was more than happy to take her up on the offer, particularly when she was assured that she wouldn’t have to pay a penny.

It was a nice, local diner that they went to. Nothing particularly flash, but pleasant (and clean) enough that it showed Sharon was making an effort. She mused that this was one of her favourite places, and was surprised when Aquaria stated that she’d never been here before. McDonalds was her main place to eat out, unless she went with friends somewhere better, but that had become rare in recent times. When asked if she ever went out of town with friends, she simply shook her head, saying it was cheaper to stay local, and the last time she left on a night out was after graduation. Plus, she had a discount on drinks at the bar she worked at, so it would be a waste getting her thrills elsewhere.

Just as they settled into a pleasant conversation about having Aquaria come to stay for a few nights, Sharon’s phone started to ring. There was a moment where she was startled by it, before she scowled and declined the call. No caller ID came up for it, and she made a grumble about getting frequent spam calls the last few days.   
“I keep getting calls from some electric company, they leave voicemails everytime! I always get scared I’ve missed something important,” Aquaria rolled her eyes a little, glaring at her own phone on the table, as if worried she was about to summon the caller.   
“I know the feeling. Part of being an adult - your number gets shared to all kinds of companies once you start signing up to things.”

With the meal finished, they headed out into the carpark, where Sharon leant against her car and lit a cigarette. She’d normally smoke while she drove, but she didn’t think it’d be fair on Aquaria to do so, not wanting her to choke, or have the smoke blown into her eyes. Standing there waiting though, she was looking a little bored, thumbing the home button of her phone. At one point, she was clearly taking some selfies, and Sharon found the faces she was pulling cute, but as soon as she was offered to be in a photo, she quickly declined.  
“I’m not the biggest fan of photos, thanks.” Though the words fell politely, there was a slightly threatening undertone, and it was taken seriously. Aquaria didn’t want to mess things up.

“Are you taking me back home?” The younger woman asked as she got into the car, buckling up.   
“If you want to go now, then yes. But I wouldn’t mind you hanging around a little longer. You can’t stay the night tonight though, I have work in the morning.”  
“That’s fine, thanks.” As the car began to move, she was focused on the road out the window, leaning into her elbow on the door, “But you  _do_ want me to stay again?”  
“Of course. We got interrupted when I was asking. If you want to stay the weekend next week, I’m free.”   
Aquaria felt she whipped her head around a little too eagerly, but the fact she was wanted was a little bit exciting, “Sure, but I’m working on Friday and Saturday.”  
“I can pick you up after you’ve finished work.”

-

In that week, Aquaria seen and heard staggeringly little from Sharon, so much so that she was getting worried. There would be one or two messages a day at most, and by Wednesday, she got an apology, reminding her that she was in a busy period at work, and she was feeling too tired and too overwhelmed to answer at night. She accepted it, not wanting to push her or pressure her, and she was working some of those nights anyway. Her first night back at work was awkward, as she was questioned on why all of her things were left behind, and teased for having hooked up with someone. The shame wore off fast, and people were quick to forget and talk about other exciting ‘gossip’ instead.

It felt like the days were dragging, but she’d become aware of a couple new faces in the crowd, who’d showed a few times. Most notably, she caught the eye of a tall, gangly blonde woman, who she tried to flirt with a little, but it turned out she was taken, and here with a friend. As if to flaunt her commitment, she flashed her wedding ring. Aquaria had no intentions to go home with her, considering herself to have a loyalty now, but a few free drinks before going back to her house would have been nice. When Saturday came, she spotted Sharon by the stage, and found a sense of revival on sight, playing up her act a little more than she’d been doing on the weekdays.

Set done, she remembered to change this time, grabbing her things and scurrying over to the blonde waiting by the bar. An arm was wrapped around her waist, and Aquaria nuzzled up into her collarbone, leaning into her frame and sighing a little, complaining about being tired.   
“You want to hang around here for a bit, or should we head back to mine?”  
“Yours, if you don’t mind. I’ve had enough of this place for now.”   
“Have you got everything this time?” Her tone was teasing but almost parental, “Or are you gonna be playing dress up again?”  
“I’ve got everything,” She sneered, “And I’m keeping the clothes you lent me. They’re comfy.”

When she got into the car, she caught the scent of a sweet perfume, and mocked, “I hope you’re not bringing other girls in here.”  
“I would never.” Rolling her eyes playfully, Sharon started driving, “I dropped someone off on my way here. She didn’t have a lift home. Why? Would you be bothered if I did?”   
Aquaria shrugged a little, worried about coming off possessive, “I was only messing around.”  
“So was I, but it’s a good point to talk about. I didn’t think we were anything official, not that I wouldn’t mind if we were.”   
“I’d like it if we were, if you mean it.”  
“Of course I mean it. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see you for more than sex if I didn’t care about you in a _sincere_ way.”  

Despite the decision to get together, there was still a discomfort to the air in the car, a sense of embarrassment hanging about Aquaria. She was pleased that things were going somewhere, and that she now had someone to rely on, but she retained a worry that she might have just pushed them into this. Sharon, on the other hand, didn’t appear to be that concerned, focusing on the road with a cool look on her face, and a very slight smile on her lips. As they pulled into the driveway, she turned to Aquaria with a reassuring smile, “I do mean it. We can get together if you want, and if you’re comfortable with the fact there’s more than ten years between us.”  
“That’s fine, I’m an adult, so it’s not like it matters.”

In the house, Aquaria slumped herself down onto the couch, leaving her bag on the floor and yawning. As usual, Sharon went straight to the kitchen to grab some drinks, leaving the younger woman to look around the room. An apple in the bowl looked like it was bruising, and she swore she was told they were fake. Leaning forward to pick it up, she found that it was just a trick of the light, and she was oddly relieved. Fake fruit would be a weird thing to lie about, but it would be a lie nonetheless, and the concept of that was kind of scary. As the drinks were set on the table, she was told to put the apple down - they were for looking at, not playing with.

Sharon put the TV on, and offered an arm, letting the woman cuddle up against her. There was nothing good on, but they settled on a horror movie from the on demand. The girl’s hands reached up to meet the one of the arm over her shoulder, holding onto it lightly. A light squeeze was given in response, but that was what made the metal dig into Aquaria’s hand. She’d never noticed Sharon wearing a ring before, but she moved her hands so that she could get a better look at it. Just as she went to touch it, she felt the arm around her stiffen a little, like with fright, and turned toward the screen automatically, just to be briefly disgusted by some gore.

“I like your ring,” She praised, returning her attention to the jewelry, “It looks expensive.”    
“It was, but I’m not above spending a lot on nice things like this.”   
“Wish I had that kind of money.”  
“I could always get you something like this, if you wanted. You’re here all weekend, we could go shopping tomorrow, if you’re up for it.”   
For a moment, she was taken aback, surprised at the generosity. Would it be greedy to take her up on the offer? In her mind, yes, but that didn’t stop her considering it.  
“I don’t know, I’d feel bad about you spending money on me.”   
“Don’t worry about it, I’ve got a lot saved.”

When it seemed like Sharon intended to push for this, Aquaria succumbed. She didn’t know where they’d be going, or what the budget was, but a part of her was a little excited to get spoiled. There was still a sense of spending guilt, though she realised she could just reign herself in, and not ask for much. But this was still strange to her, especially since they were in the early stages of a relationship, and hadn’t really known each other for very long. Aquaria did consider that it might be a way of keeping her around, and she almost hoped not, because she didn’t want to be seen in that light. She didn’t need need things to keep her around; she wasn’t that materialistic.

About an hour into the movie, they’d shifted into a different position on the couch, lying down with the throw pulled over them. The living room was getting cold, and Aquaria was getting sleepy, facing away from the screen, head on Sharon’s chest. A hand was moving slowly through her hair, fanning through the dark locks in a rhythmic repetition. Just as she settled herself comfortably against Sharon, arm stretched over her stomach, she felt her press a kiss against the top of her head, and her heart fluttered. When she first came here, she was sloppy, drunk and desperate, and the little memory she had of it was an embarrassment. The sincerity of the affection was what she wanted most, and in this moment, she had it.

They slept on the couch that night, the soothing strokes on her hair enough to make Aquaria doze off, and Sharon too comfortable to even want to wake her, or ask her to move. Even when she woke up in the morning, she felt a reluctance to stir the sleeping girl, not wanting to disturb the calm. Besides, she looked happy, and so until she woke up herself, Sharon lay there awake, occupied by her phone. It was only a half hour wait anyway, and as soon as she heard the waking whine, she locked her phone, reaching behind her to leave it on the side table, freeing the arm up to wrap around Aquaria’s slender frame.

“I know you’re comfy, but we should get moving soon. We’re going out today, remember?”   
Still in a sleepy daze, Aquaria simply nodded her head, shuffling to sit up and stretch, shaking herself off a little. They’d not gone upstairs at all the night before, so her bag with her things was still on the floor. She pawed through for a change of clothes and a hairbrush while Sharon returned the throw to the back of the couch, and went about doing the necessary housework. There was a strange sense of domesticity about them, though Aquaria was living out of a small bag of things, and had to go out of her way to go into the bathroom to change.

Now mostly ready for the day, she made her way to the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat. The counters were bare, and the breadbin was apparently empty. Just as she was about to wander toward the fridge, there was a moment of intervention, where Sharon asked, “Do you not wanna just stop somewhere while we’re out? I haven’t done a food shop yet, so there’s nothing really in.”   
“Sure, but don’t you want to… buy some more food for the house?”  
“We can do that while we’re still out, we’ll do it last though. Don’t really want to be carrying groceries around all day.”

-

It was the same diner as before that they stopped at for breakfast, and expanding on her previous compliment of the place, Sharon explained that they did the best vegetarian food in the area. That ended up being the main topic of conversation through the meal, and though it might not have been the most exotic chat, Aquaria liked that she was getting to find out more about her. She had a couple of stories about places she’d been served plain (or very, very bad) food, or been served something still containing meat. In a passing statement, Sharon stated that she’d been somewhere with an ex, for what was supposed to be an important meal, and she ended up having to just get sides.

Curiosity got the best of Aquaria, and as she stretched across the table to steal a bit of Sharon’s breakfast muffin, she asked, “Why was the dinner important?”  
“I was planning to propose, but things got derailed. Not long after, the relationship started to fall apart, and we decided to call it quits.”  
She looked surprised, “Oh. I’m sorry.”  
“Well, it doesn’t matter now. If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t be here with you.” She took the hand that was going for another piece of the muffin, “And you can stop that now, you have food on your own plate.”   
“I don’t like what’s left.” She countered, “And I ate my muffin so…”  
“You’re not getting mine. Either eat the damn tomatoes on your plate, or starve.”   
She chose the starve option, sulkily watching Sharon finish her food.

Aquaria was over it by the time they were in the car, not so petty as to stay mad over being told no. Besides, that’d be a selfish way to act, especially since this outing was supposed to be to get her something nice. When they were driving for a while, she was suddenly quite puzzled, because she didn’t recognise the area, and turning to Sharon, she was immediately frightened.   
“Sorry, I didn’t think to say. I thought it’d be better if we went out of town. The local stores don’t have much. We’ll come back here to get groceries though. Don’t worry, you’re fine. If I was gonna do something dodgy, I wouldn’t have wasted money buying you a meal you didn’t finish.”

They arrived in a town a good few miles from where Aquaria lived, and she’d never been here before. Everything looked polished and expensive and nice, the houses perfect, and the streets clean of any trash. Well dressed people strolled the streets with prim pooches padding alongside them. It was amazing to Aquaria how different this was to her own town, which was adjacent to this. It was like stepping into a whole other class, and she felt briefly insecure in the clothes she’d chosen to wear, having dressed fairly comfortably. As they arrived in a small shopping centre, Sharon reassured her that she looked fine, and there wasn’t anything to worry about.

The buildings were close knit and small, all sharing the same aesthetic like they themselves were antiques. Everything about them seemed personal, and somewhat unique, despite them carrying a similar tone, made of sandstone bricks and dark oaks. Some of the storefronts were blanketed by ivy, or tangled with roses in bloom. It was all so beautiful, and Aquaria couldn’t help but glimpse up and down the street, slack jawed in awe. It took a moment for her to respond to the hand in hers, tugging her slightly to follow into a little clothing store. Catching up with her thoughts, her attention turned to the blonde, and she scurried after her into the building.

Pawing through the rails, looking at the assortment of things, it was like she was a child in a sweet shop. She’d been a girl who was brand loyal, even if she had to cut back on the frequency for money’s sake, but looking at all of these things, she didn’t care. Everything was good quality, and according to the labels, original designs. Though she showed a lot of interest in a lot of the things there, only one or two really stood out to her, and when they did, she turned to Sharon and looked expectantly. In response, the things she wanted were simply taken, and out of fear of seeming greedy, she stopped at three things, all in the lower price range.

A similar thing occurred in other stores, though she’d capped herself at that point to only buying one thing at most. She didn’t want Sharon to pay the Earth for her, or to find her overly materialistic. There was a moment that went out the window though, when they wandered into a jewellery store and something immediately caught her eye. Pacing over toward a ring, Aquaria pressed a finger against the glass case, looking down at it intently. A pretty silver band, with a blue, princess cut crystal. It was $100, and she immediately backed off, looking dejected. No way in her wildest dreams would she even ask for it, but her interest had been noticed.

“Do you want it?” Sharon moved closer to look at the price tag, though her face didn’t really indicate a reaction to it.  
“No, it’s fine,” She tried to walk away, but she was tutted back over.  
“Do you want it?” The question was repeated with a little more emphasis, a hand coming across to gently hold one of Aquaria’s.  
“It’s $100.”  
“That’s fine. If you want it, you can have it.”   
She gave no real response, bar a light squeeze to the hand, and a quiet whine. Even if she said no again, she knew that the blonde had no plans to back down on this. Though no ‘yes’ left her mouth, Sharon called the cashier over. She checked Aquaria’s finger with the ring gauge, and then, just like that, she had the ring.

But that was when something strange seemed to happen. As Sharon slipped the ring onto Aquaria’s finger, she clearly caught sight of someone through the window, and looked concerned for just a second, then she smiled. The younger girl turned toward the glass, noticing someone smile back a little, though there was a bitterness in her gaze. They walked off, and she could only assume that it was an ex, or maybe a case of mistaken identity. It was at that point, when the stranger left, that Sharon suggested they headed back home, so they could get the food shopping and settle in the house for the night. Quite content with their trip, Aquaria agreed, and they set off home.

It didn’t take long to get a weeks worth of food; Sharon seemed to know exactly what she needed to get. Every now and then, she’d check if the other wanted anything, but apart from that, she seemed a little quiet. Even in the car ride home, it was almost uncomfortable, Aquaria reluctant to say anything. Her fingers twisted the ring as she looked up toward Sharon, noticing the way her teeth worried at her lip as she stared ahead on the road. The silence was making the younger girl feel a little nervous, trying to think of something to say, or at least to ask, to test the waters. But, by the time she thought of something useful, they were in the driveway, and Sharon shook herself out of her daze, apologizing sweetly.

The rest of the weekend went well, mostly consisting of cuddles on the couch watching movies, and then doing largely the same thing but in bed at night. Sharon’s bad mood from the car had dissipated as soon as they were in the comfort of her home, which had been a huge relief. When she dropped Aquaria off at the end of the weekend, there was such a reluctance to leave, and after a kiss and a promise that she’d see her soon, she tore herself from the car seat, and made her way into her hell of a home, waving Sharon off as she drove away. Her fingers found the ring again, and she rubbed it just to make sure it was real, it was there, and that none of that had all just been a crazy dream.

-

Her only contact with Sharon now was once again texts, and that had been the way now for more than two weeks. At least she had her phone, and could get in touch from the backroom at work when she was getting ready. She asked if she was coming tonight, but Sharon said she had to work late. Though she was a little disappointed about it, she didn’t fuss. There was no point getting wound up over it, she couldn’t help not coming, and in practicality, she didn’t want this to be where she met her all the time. Something felt dirty about meeting each other after she was done dancing for horny drunks. Plus, in her mind, there was something deeply unpleasant about being watched by someone she loved while a lecherous crowd barked up at her. At least when Sharon wasn’t here, she could perform properly.

That night’s performance went well. She didn’t think she would be exaggerating if she said it went incredibly, as she made the most tips she had in a long time, and got quite a mood set for the rest of the night. With no plans for sticking around that night, Aquaria headed into the dressing room, where a blonde woman sat slightly reclined in her chair, glimpsing over toward her with a hard stare. She recognised her, but she couldn’t place from where, until the back of her hand was raised and presented. It was the married woman, the one she tried to get drinks off of a few weeks back. Confused and a little startled, when she stood from the chair, Aquaria considered bolting.

“We need to talk.” Her voice fell in somewhat of a drawled tone, but she sounded serious. With the way she hesitated, it seemed like she’d been thinking about this for a while.   
Stumbling a little closer, she left the door slightly ajar, in case this took a bad turn and she had to howl for help. Sitting in her spare chair, Aquaria stared up at the woman, anxious and impatient.   
“The woman you’ve been seeing, she’s not who you think she is. She’s my wife.”  
“No.”   
“Sharon. Sharon Needles. I’ve been married to her for two years.” Prepared for denial, she looked through her purse, before handing over some documents. Her tone remained level and calm, “I’m sorry.”

Aquaria was lost through words, looking over the content of the pages, before looking back up towards her. There was further proof, as the woman turned her phone toward her, letting her flick through photos. There were selfies in the first lot, and in the second lot, when the phone had briefly been detracted, she brought up an album of wedding photos. She let her see them on facebook, where she could see the date receipts clearly.   
“I’m sorry.” She repeated, “But she’s been using you.”   
“Why?” She knew that wouldn’t help things, but she almost didn’t know what else to say, “How did you find out?”   
“My friend saw both of you together. When she bought you that ring.”  
  
There was a pained recognition in her face, putting together the scene again in her head, “I’m sorry, I… I should have known. I should have figured it out.”  
“You couldn’t have known. But, I’m asking you nicely, please, to leave her. Don’t let her string you along any longer. You’re young, you deserve to find someone better, someone who isn’t just using you because she’s bored.” It clearly hurt her to say it, “I can go now, if you want. I know it can’t be comfortable to talk to your girlfriend’s wife.”   
“No, stay. Um… I want to know more.”   
“Okay.”

The woman - whose name was Alaska as it turned out - explained a lot of things to her. First, she explained that Sharon didn’t even live in this town, she lived in the same town they’d gone shopping in. It seemed like that had been the choice because she knew Alaska was away with a friend for their hen night and wedding, so she hadn’t been expecting to get caught out. Then, when she found out from Aquaria the house she’d been going to, she revealed that it was Sharon’s old place, that she’d claimed she was renting out. That was why there was never any food in; there was no point keeping an empty house stocked. Because she’d just been driven back and forth, she’d never made note of the address, and so Alaska gave her it. As it turned out, it was only a twenty minute walk from her house; the woman just deliberately took a longer route.

It was a lot to find out at once. Aquaria’s mind was racing, and her emotions were all over the place. Of course, there was the sense of betrayal, having been strung along in a relationship that couldn’t have lasted much longer than a month. There was also the natural guilt, for having caused Alaska so much pain - she’d been married to her for a long time, in Aquaria’s eyes anyway. It was like someone tore her heart from her chest, but the sting came from more than just being played, it was from seeing the woman whose marriage was falling apart. She could see the ache in Alaska’s eyes as she tried to hold herself together.

“What are you gonna do now?” Aquaria’s voice fell in a weak whisper.   
“I don’t know.” Tapping her nails on the dresser, she heaved a sigh, “I suppose I’ll talk to her about it properly. I haven’t told her I know yet, I wanted to speak to you first.”  
“I’ll break it off with her, I promise. But I want to do it in person.”  
“That’s fine. Can I have your number? So I know when it’s done.”   
Pulling a scrap of paper from the dresser, she scrawled it down for her. Alaska sent her a quick text so she had her number to contact.  
“Are you gonna try and make it work?”  
“I’ve not decided yet. I still love her, of course I do, and I don’t want to give up, but she could do it again.”   
Reaching over to touch her arm, Aquaria forced a smile, “Do what’s best for you,and what you think will make you happiest.”

They sat in a brief silence, until a concern hit the young woman’s mind.  
“You’ve not told her you know. Do you want me to break things off like I don’t know about you?”  
“You can tell her you found out. Tell her that someone came to tell you though, please. Don’t tell her it was me.”   
“I won’t, I promise. I’ll say it was whoever saw us through the window.”  
“Her name’s Willam. She’s tough, and she’ll be more than happy to go along with it until I’m ready to confront her about it myself. Thank you.”  
“Thank you for telling me. I’m still so, so sorry.”   
With a couple conclusions to the plan, they shared a hug and an amicable goodbye.

-

It took two days for her to even work up the nerve to send a message to Sharon. She’d left her on read since she’d found out the truth. For all the love she had for her, so much of it had been drained away. In a sense, she thought herself to be naive, falling hard and fast for a woman she met in the bar. But she treated her well, she spoiled her and loved her and treasured her over the course of that month. Even though the time had been short, there was a potential there to escape from her situation, to get out of this house that she hated, even if she would have to wait a lot longer to do that. If only Sharon was really renting the house out, and that was how this all played out.

 _A: i need to see you. its an emergency. x_  
S: sorry baby, will have to wait, im busy. xx   
A: tonight. x

Aquaria could have thrown her phone. The reply rubbed her up the wrong way, and with this new perspective, she almost wondered if she was with Alaska, or if she was getting her cake from even more places. Giving a good half hour before doing so, just incase they were together, she sent Alaska a text warning her that she’d asked to meet her that night. She got an ‘ _okay, she’s just home from work now_ ’ in explanation. At least she was with the person she was meant to be with this time. Just incase she somehow got an answer, Aquaria got herself dressed and ready to leave. When no answer came after a few hours, she hoped to set a panic in Sharon’s mind, to try and force her out.

_A: ill come to yours. i think i know the way x  
S: ill meet you there, be there in 40, on way home from work x_

Aquaria took the short road there, making it in the twenty minutes she thought it would. She didn’t mind the long wait, though it was making her a little anxious. Slumping down on the doorstep, she leered out onto the road. It was late. The street lights beamed down onto the asphalt, and a full moon glowed bright in the sky. It was reminiscent of that first night, when Sharon brought her home drunk and needy. With the rose coloured glasses irrevocably shattered, that night was seen in its true hue of washed out grey. A drunken hook up with the girl who was pathetic enough to give over for a forty dollar tip and a few free drinks, that was all that night was. Even the pleasantries that followed it were now tainted. The ring on her finger felt like it had teeth, biting down hard in punishment for being bought for her.

She didn’t want to have this fight in the street. As Sharon pulled up, she stood from the doorstep, waiting anxiously for her to come unlock the door and let her in. Everything was the exact same, even as far as the empty coke can on the table from when she was last here. The blonde sat down on the couch, but Aquaria lingered by the armchair, nails digging into the fabric. Heaviness hung about the stagnant air, and she couldn’t help but stare her down. Aquaria was not a weak girl; she knew herself, and she knew herself well. But she’d let this woman get to her, let her pick at the most fragile threads in a way that had left her feeling frail.

“Someone came to see me after work a couple of days ago.”   
Sharon’s face was suddenly washed of colour, “Yeah?”   
“Yeah. She told me something about you. Well, no, she told me a  _lot_  about you.” Her eyes narrowed, and she moved a little closer, “Two years married. This isn’t where you live. Willam said she saw us through the window, in the jewellery store. You said the stores were better there, but that’s where you lived, that town. You only took me there because Alaska was away.”   
The woman rose from the couch, leering down at her. It seemed like the name drop had sparked a sense of anger in her. Aquaria didn’t back down, stepping a little closer.  
“I would have understood a one night stand, but you’re the one who made this a relationship. You’re the one who took this further.”

A hand was placed on her shoulder, and she slapped it off straight away.  
“Don’t touch me! You’ve done enough of that!”  
“So this is what you called me for? I was busy, you dragged me all the way out here just to call me out to my face?”  
“Don’t act like I’m being unreasonable. I didn’t want to do this over texts, where you could just ignore me as much as you want. You kept me waiting long enough anyway, but I guess you couldn’t really answer with your wife right beside you.”   
“This is my house, I don’t have to hear this. If you’re done with me, just say you’re done.”   
“Yeah, your spare house. And okay, sure,” Moving to be stood almost right against her, she snarled up, “We’re done. This is over. Thanks for wasting a month of my life.”

She turned to leave, but she went back on herself, looking over toward Sharon and raising one hand, with the ring on display. Then, she slowly pulled it off, and dumped it unceremoniously on the floor.   
“Your wife deserves better. Spending that much money on some kid you met at a bar? I can only imagine what she gets.”  
“Get out.”   
“Such a generous partner you are.” The dark haired girl scoffed, and even as she was being pushed out of the door, she resisted, “I hope Willam tells her! I hope she finds out, and I hope she sees you for what you are. She’ll be fucking heartbroken. I hope she leaves you!”

Sharon stopped herself on the porch, leering toward the younger girl as she took a few paces back into the lawn. Some of the anger dissipated in her face and the tears that had pricked at her eyes as she ranted were threatening to fall.  
“You were my first, I want you to know that. I wasted that on you.”   
Despite the betrayal of tears, she stared Sharon down, shaking her head a little as she took another step back. There was a moment where guilt came across her features, where the blonde looked down toward her shoes, before stepping back into the house, lingering in the door.   
“I’m sorry.”  
“Goodbye, Sharon.”

Wrenching herself away from the scene, Aquaria paced onto the path, not hesitating or looking behind her. Nothing about this felt good, and as she began her way home, she forced back as much of the torrent of emotions as she could. Taking her phone from her pocket, she sent a simple ‘ _its over_ ’ text to Alaska, receiving a ‘ _thank you_ ’ in return. The walk felt like it took hours, but eventually, she made it home. Her parents in the living room were talking loudly between themselves, and didn’t even seem  to notice that she’d left, let alone come back in.

Her legs forced her upstairs like they had a will of their own, directing her straight to her bedroom. When she bundled the secondhand clothes and generous purchases into a charity bag, her room was once again a sanctuary, and as she slumped down onto her bed, she let the rush of feeling take over her, sobbing into the pillow. For such a short section of her life, it had been such an intense rollercoaster of emotion, and though she was crying for what she lost, when the tears started to still, she wondered how Alaska was feeling. She hoped that she would call things off with Sharon; she hardly knew her, but she just assumed she deserved better than that.

A few weeks passed since she called things off, and she didn’t hear a thing from Alaska. Sharon had tried to get in contact a couple of times, but she left her on read, and declined the calls. She’d been avoiding it for a while, but on her way to meet up with a friend, she passed by the woman’s second house, and was surprised to see a for sale sign in the yard. She could only assume that Alaska had decided to give her another chance, and though she thought it was stupid to let the cheater stay, she hoped it would work out.


End file.
